New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-28
SOME ENGRAVINGS BY COUSINS.
NOTES UPON THE LAST GREAT MEzzoTIy1
ENGRAyRR


EYGRAYER.
Messrs W. Schaus & Co received recently thres
proofs of engravings by Samuel Cousins r. A. WIN
died in England aged eigbty-six a few weeks ago
One of these, alter Lawrence's portrait of Master
Lambton" son of the Earl of Durham was en- yrayed
in 500 and was Cousins's second plate This is a
proof from the earliest state of the plate with the Sir
Thomas Lawrence publication lne., which is rare
since tho president Of the Royal Academy sooa aban
donod publication. The usual proofs bear Coiuaghis
publication mark II is related that seeing the first
proof Lawrence commissioned Cousins TO engraye bis
portrait of Prince Mettsrnich and requested tue en-
graver to confne himself to Lawrencc's work. re-
quest of course not complied with. Henri Delaborde
expresses the opinion that Samuel Williams Reynolds
COrsnss master in certain plates and Cousins in his
engravings of "Msster Lambton," Plus VII" and
Lady Cover and her Son =" have succeeded IN get
ting a good deal more from mezzotint than the
eighteen Tia century masters" The second engraving
shown by Messrs Schaus & Co was executed in 1927.
This was alter a painting " The SURPRISE IN the
Vernon collection IN the National Gallery. The
artist was &. NJ. Dubu1e, the father of Edward
Dubufe. This mezzotint was upon copper instead of
steel thus securing finer bloom In the early i'm
pressions, and the shown here is an engraver's
ptoof. 1t signed by Cousins sixty years ago.
There are later proofs which eurously described
ordinary artists proofs" and these have the
names OF cngraver and painter in small letters under
the plate with the publication mark OF Jones 81
Brewer, Golden Square. more general interest may
be taken in the third engraving. which is alter the
Chandos portrait of Shakespeare now in the Stratoid
House. This was executed In 1919 Tor the ChandOs
Society. The impression shown here Is signed
artists proof
A comparison Of these proofs with the ordinary
prints, which may readily be made shows the superb
quality of these impressions better than any descr.
ton. The Surprise" head and bust, is remark
able example of delicate treatment OF flesh
in mezzotnt Tho modelling underneath the
light shadows, the sottness OF the hesh
its purity OF color and the cleanness of the
contours are indicated with mastery OF materials
and perception OF tone ana torn which beyond
praise. The Master Lambton offered the engraver
variety and more extended opportunities for
rendering texture as in the black velvet dress with
its changing bloom, and the curling hair, but 1t is
hardly necessary to DWELL upon the technical excel
lenCe OF a plate 80 well known to students OF engray-
ing TO comment upon the admirable preservation
OF expression in the faces Prints OF this portrait OF
Shakes ieare are not uncommon but proof like this
must be looked to tor the spirit OF the original,
nearly As mezzotint can give it. These proofs have
timely we'll az intrinsic interest, aud it il
pleasant to know that Messs. SchauG < Go. have
work
1t has been SAID that the death of Samuel William
Reynolds in 1885 marked the closing period OF English
engraving ~ great art, but two OF his most famous
pupils survived him. David Lucas, who died in 1881,
and Samuel Cousins. The latters death removes tho
last OF the great English melzotlnt engraTers, and
closes a line which may be said to have begun at the
end of the seventeenth centdry with lsaac Beckett and
john, Smith. Many collectors Will scout NJ. Della
bOrdts comparison between Cousins and the mezzolnt
ensrGyers of the eighteenth century alter Sir Joshua
Reynolds aud Others Most Of that renowned school
had passed away before Cousins began his work, but
his earliest years Sharp OF the threo greatest
OF English line engrIyers, BaFtolOzz, William Blake
poet, engraver and painter, aud Thomas Bewck,
the l" reyiyer" OF English wood engraving, were
8ll living The sO-cslled Irming ham school OF line
engra ,crs, stood IN much the same relation to
Turner that:he eli hteentn century mezzotint gyav
a.. ba IN d. I'M
time o. Cousinss BIRTH 1t only tour years before
the Master LambtOn' engraved that TbOm1s
Lupton received prize tor the introduction OF soft
steel instead Of copper n a medium for mezzotnt en-
craving. William Walker ranked the first English
engrgyer In stipple born only nine years earlier
than. Cousins In the atters early Ito every depart
uent of engraving was well represented ia England
but he lived through period OF decline uAt before
the MIDDLE the century the extinction OF the art
clearly at hand. In the opinion OF some David
Lucas is 10 be ranked with or above Cousins among
the nineteenth century English mekZotint engrayers
but the verdict OF the majority will probably give
Cousins the first place ". DelabOrie couples him
I'll Raimbach. saying In spite OF the dsslnllaTly
of their talents, Rambaoh and Cousins may yet DO
compared the last English engrayers who attempted
TO invest their work with a character ia conformity
with the strict conditions OF the art' The tact that
Cousins the first engraver TO become member
OF the Royal Academy ana bis noble gut OF $4,000
that institution for The asss ance OF poor artists
have been mentioned IN the obituary notices. year
or two ago he OF only three survivors of the
older schOul OF engravers he others George
Doo line engraver aud J. Possclwhite. engraver
in stepple both mon of considerable emnence in their
time. Cousins the last OF the famous meLzotiut
engrayeIs and it is hardly 20 be expected that recent
attempts at reyiying the art will meet with much
success.
Mr. Seymour Haden has lobored zealousy to
awaken interest in the art ard various artist have
been induced to do something in this direction, but
there ia not much vitality in the attempt thus far
Mezzotnts by Joseph knight and few others dro
occasionally published but any account OF engraving
today is much like AN obituary In our own country
the rst OF the figure, Asher b. Durand, died
last September oar FIRST landscape engraver James
Smillie died two years ago. Richie and Sartain who
have done considerable work in mezzotnt As well
lne have engraved plates of recent years. and DR.
Marshall il almost the only who seeks carry
IN an ambitions way the traditions OF an older school
There is no new school spnngIng up, here in Eng.
land, and the Continent the art Is languishIng.
There signs oil a revival Indeed present tastes
and the OF photography the printing press indr
the contrary and it probable that in
short time engraving an art will be extinct.